CNBC SPOTLIGHT

16 Nov 2017 9:09 AM |
Anonymous

Preventive Measures Can Save Pets

The holidays are a festive time for us and our pets. However, due to ongoing activities and constant distractions, we can easily overlook potential dangers to our four-legged family members.

Take preventive measures to protect your pets this holiday season. Being aware of these top five dangers could save you a trip to the veterinary emergency room.

1. Holiday Tinsel and Ornaments

Tinsel, while not toxic, is very attractive to pets, particularly cats. The shiny, dangling decoration reflects light and can move in the slightest draft undefined appearing to come alive to watchful critters.

The problem with tinsel is that once it’s consumed, it can cause serious injury to your pet. If not caught in time, this foreign body ingestion could actually be fatal as it twists and bunches inside your pet’s intestines. Immediate veterinary care is required.

In addition, bright and colorful tree ornaments can attract your pet’s curiosity. Place glass, aluminum and paper ornaments higher up on the tree. Pets can chew and swallow these fragile objects and not only can broken pieces form sharp edges that may lacerate your pet’s mouth, throat and intestines, they could also create a choking hazard.

2. Holiday Lighting and Candles

Twinkling, shiny and dangling holiday lights undefined such as the icicle, netting, garland, curtain, rope and candle varietal undefined may be another source of danger to your curious pets.

Got a pet that likes to chew? Electrical shock may occur when a pet chomps down on an electrical cord, causing tongue lacerations and possible death. Check your holiday lights for signs of fraying or chewing and use a grounded three-prong extension cord as a safety precaution.

If you have candles on display, place them in a hard-to-reach spot so that your pets can not access them. Not only can pets seriously burn themselves, but knocking over candles creates a fire hazard and may leave a trail of hot wax that will easily burn the pads of paws and more.

3. Gift Wrap Ribbon

You may be tempted to fashion your pet with a decorative ribbon “collar” but beware that this could become a choking hazard.

Also, it’s best to quickly discard ribbons and bows wrapped around holiday gifts so that your curious companions won’t be enticed to chew or swallow them. Ingested ribbon can cause a choking hazard and ultimately twist throughout the intestines, leading to emergency surgery and even death.

4. Food Hazards

Festive events often mean edible treats undefined and lots of them. Unfortunately, some of the most popular holiday goodies, such as chocolate, bones and nuts, can be extremely toxic or fatal to pets.

Different types of chocolate contain various levels of fat, caffeine and the substances methylxanthines. In general, the darker and richer the chocolate (i.e., baker’s chocolate), the higher the risk of toxicity. Depending on the type and amount of chocolate ingested, dogs might experience vomiting, diarrhea, urination, hyperactivity, heart arrhythmias, tremors and seizures.

Fat trimmings and bones are dangerous for dogs. Fat trimmed from meat, both cooked and uncooked, may cause pancreatitis. And, although it seems natural to give a dog a bone, a dog can choke on it. Bones can also splinter and cause an obstruction or lacerations of your dog's digestive system.

Abundant in many cookies and candies, certain nuts should not be given to pets. Almonds, non-moldy walnuts and pistachios can cause an upset stomach or an obstruction of your dog's throat and/or intestinal tract. Macadamia nuts and moldy walnuts can be toxic, causing seizures or neurological signs. Lethargy, vomiting and loss of muscle control are among the effects of nut ingestion.

Keep your pet on her regular diet and caution visitors against giving your pet special treats or table scraps.

5. Toxic Holiday Plants

They may be pretty, but some holiday plants are poisonous-even deadly. As little as a single leaf from any lily variety is lethal to cats. Others to avoid:

29 Apr 2017 4:11 AM |
Anonymous

P. Elizabeth Anderson once had a daughter named Grace. Like any parents would, she and her husband cared for her, nurtured her and tried to keep her out of trouble. They took her on vacations and enjoyed her company around the house. “She was my constant companion,” says Anderson, a journalist in the District of Columbia.

So when Grace died unexpectedly at age 14, the couple was crushed. But because Grace was a dog, “I was unable to talk to anyone about this immense grief,” says Anderson, who wrote the book “The Powerful Bond between People and Pets: Our Boundless Connections to Companion Animals.”

The depth of Anderson’s devastation surprised her, but it’s common to feel that way after the loss of a dog, says Lori Kogan​, associate professor of clinical sciences at Colorado State University's College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Some people feel so sad, in fact, that they wonder if the death of a human companion would have been easier. “People feel guilty because they feel worse when their dog dies than if a family member dies,” Kogan says. “And then they think they’re a bad person.”

But in reality, it’s normal. “There’s a reason you feel that way,” she says. One of them? Unlike the mixed feelings we have toward each other – and that arise after a person's death – "our relationship with dogs is so uncomplicated," Kogan says. Some might​ call it​ true love.

Puppy Love

Research suggests the connection many humans feel with their canine companions is a lot like love. In one recent study in the journal Science, for instance,​ researchers found the same hormone associated with maternal love and passionate love, oxytocin, increases in both pups and their owners when the two species do ​no more than lock eyes. The same can’t be said for humans and wolves, the researchers found. The results suggest "a coevolution between human and dogs," says lead study author Takefumi Kikusui, a professor in the Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology at Azabu University in Japan. That's part of the reason why, he says, "it is very natural to form a bond between dogs and humans."

Stanley Coren​, a professor emeritus in the University of British Columbia's department of psychology says dogs are a man’s best friend because we’ve domesticated them to be that way.

“We invented the dog and we invented it to fit in a certain niche in our lives,” says Coren, who's written a series of popular books on pooches. “And so for at least 14,000 years, we have been … creating an animal which understands our communications and we understand its communications and they have a bond with us.” For example, if a person points to something in a distance, a dog will look in the direction of the finger, just like a human. But if the dog was a wolf? It would simply look at the finger, Coren says. “We’ve sort of wired the dog to read our communications,” he says.

For Anderson, who’s now a mother to a Maltese and a Yorkie, dogs can be more lovable than humans because "they absolutely go out of their way to please us,” she says. “They want to do whatever we want to do, their love is absolutely unconditional, they’re affectionate to a fault – all the kinds of things that humans enjoy in a relationship are the kinds of things dogs excel at.”

‘Instant Prozac’

Over 54 million U.S. households own more than 77 million dogs, according to the American Pet Products Association. And those pups are pampered: Dog moms and dads spend $83 on grooming, $47 on toys and $330 on food and treats for their furry children each year, according to the association’s most recent survey of pet owners. "We have completely embedded pets into human culture," Anderson says.​ “We give our dogs human names, dress them up for holidays, give them gifts, take them to church and grieve deeply when they die.”

Is that healthy? By most accounts, yes. Studies have shown, for instance, that simply petting “a familiar and friendly” dog can lower your heart rate, make your breathing more regular and relax your muscles, ​Coren says. In one unpublished study, people had significantly lower blood pressure just two months after adopting dogs when compared to pet-parents-to-be who were still waiting for their puppies, reports the American Heart Association. The organization concludes that owning a dog "may have some causal role" in reducing heart disease risk.

Recent research has emphasized how dogs can​ reduce stress and boost mental health. A 2012 study in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management of ​a 550-employee company found that workers’ stress levels declined over the course of the day if they brought their dogs to work. The opposite was true for dogless employees and those who left Rover at home.

“We know that stress and all those nasty things do bad things for our health” such as weakening our immune system and putting our hearts at risk for cardiovascular problems, Coren says. One answer could be right under our snouts. “Dogs that act like instant Prozac.”

Can you love your dog too much?

It’s feasible your attachment to your furry friend could go too far. “Just as you can have unhealthy relationships and attachments to people, you can have unhealthy attachments to pets,” Kogan says.

Say, for example, you use your dog as an excuse to isolate yourself from humans. “If you don’t have anyone in your life, that’s a red flag,” Anderson says. Research shows that weak social connections can be detrimental to physical and mental health, even making you twice as likely to die than being obese, a 2010 meta-analysis found.​ What’s more, Coren adds, “the absence of social support is one of the major contributors to depression.”

The good news? Dogs seem to have a similar effect on health as human companions. A 2011 study found that pet owners had better self-esteem, were in better shape and felt less lonely than people without pooches or other pets. It makes sense, Coren says. Simply taking your dog for a walk, for one, facilitates fitness – and human interaction. “You’re marching along with your version of Lassie, and [someone else is]​ walking along with their version of Benji and you stop to chat,” he says.

That’s particularly important today, when face-to-face social interactions are increasingly replaced with digital ones, Anderson says. “We're a lot more mobile society, and it's hard to make friends sometimes,” she says. Dogs can help fill that void. Even better? Unlike a human pal, she adds, "a dog will keep your secrets."

20 Apr 2017 1:05 PM |
Anonymous

It’s a pretty amazing feeling when you finally trade up from an apartment or condo and move into a house with a real backyard as opposed to just an enclosed porch or patio that’s basically an extension of your interior living space. You find yourself wanting to plant trees, take up gardening, and maybe even engage in some creative landscaping like adding a walkway or pond.

Dog owners can have even more fun designing a space for their four-legged friends to run free, go crazy chasing each other, and generally cause all kinds of hilarious havoc. Just remember that it’s probably not okay to set up hunting grounds for birds and squirrels in your backyard, and if you’ve got small children of the human variety, you need to think about them, too.

Here are some ideas that will appeal to dogs and still be safe for the human members of the pack.

Green the fencing...

While putting up a fence is definitely the exact opposite of what most dogs would want, it is what they — and children — need to stay safe. But there is a way to make it more dog-friendly: place bushes along the edges or plant some creeping vines that will snake up the posts. As long as you choose things that are safe for kids and dogs, you’ll make the space feel more natural and free. If your dog isn’t a barker and you’re not sharing a fence line, you may even want to have a viewing bubble built in. Great for kids and dogs!

Set up marking posts...

Dogs being dogs, they’re going to want to mark their territory when they’re out in the yard. You can either let them choose their own spots (like your little one’s sandbox or your grill) or set up a few designated areas that will encourage them to do their business there. Large stones and sculptural pieces of driftwood are two potential options that allow everyone to feel like they’re getting what they want.

Create a digging area...

Digging. It’s an issue that many homeowners have to deal with, and there’s a better solution than simply yelling at your dog when they dig up your prize roses — set aside an area of the yard to be their digging area. You can use materials like sand or mulch to make it easier to dig and to protect your yard. Convince them that this is the place to be by burying some bones or toys.

Also, consider installing dog-friendly and environmentally-friendly artificial grass, like EasyTurf. For many dogs, it helps discourage digging altogether. Plus you don’t have to worry about discolored or dying grass patches in areas where your dog relieves himself.

Add some cover...

Yards without any shade aren’t good for dogs or humans. Just like people, dogs can suffer from dehydration, sunburn, and heatstroke, so it’s vital that they have shade — especially if you live in a warmer climate. Putting trees in is a great idea, but unless you can afford to buy them fully grown, it will likely be years before they’ll be useful protection. In the meantime, consider using overhead tarps or look into doghouses.

Keep paths comfortable...

Dogs love wandering around paths, but it’s important that you think about their comfort when creating them in your yard. Use materials that will stay cool and feel good to their feet. If that sounds limiting, don’t worry too much. There are a wide variety of materials that fit this description, including things like concrete, smooth rocks, pebbles, and even bricks. Just be careful with really small rocks if you have a toddler, because they can be choking hazards.

Employ tunnel vision...

Where are the toys and play areas, you ask? Well, here’s one that will appeal to both kids and dogs: buy or build some outdoor tunnels for them to go through. Both your children and your dogs will love running through the new toy and chasing each other, and they also work as a nice hiding spot for your pooches on hotter days.

A watering hole...

No dog’s dream backyard is complete without access to fresh, clean water. While you can get fancy and invest in a doggy water fountain that connects to your outdoor hose, you can also stick to the basics and just buy a standard water bowl to keep outside. Whatever you choose, make sure to clean and refill it regularly.

A true dream backyard isn’t just about creating some kind of crazy playground, but working to address both the wants and needs of your four-legged friends and then somehow fitting that in with the desires of the rest of the family. It might take some time, but you can do it.

24 Feb 2017 11:23 AM |
Anonymous

This article courtesy of Dog News Daily.

LATEST FDA REPORT SUPPORTS EVANGER'S

​DOG NEWS DAILY has learned from unnamed sources that a yet-to-be-released FDA report will confirm that the meat supplier who sold Evanger's the pentobarbital-tainted meat intentionally falsified bills-of-lading and other paperwork that accompanied his tainted beef shipment to Evanger's.

SUPPLIER ILLEGALLY SUBSTITUTED BEEF MEAT with DRUG-TAINTED HORSE MEAT

DOG NEWS DAILY has learned that Evanger's had contracted to purchase 100% beef meat from this still-unidentified meat supplier who is still under investigation by the FDA and USDA.

Further DNA testing of the contaminated meat shows that the horse meat, which the supplier intentionally and illegally added to Evanger's "all bovine meat" order, contained the pentobarbital.

Multi-agency Investigations are underway to determine if this meat supplier had prior knowledge that the horse meat he purchased, which he substituted for beef meat in Evanger's order, had come from horses euthanized with pentobarbital.

VOLUNTARY RECALL INFORMATION

Though this news concerning Evanger's supplier has substantiated their prior claims that they were the victim of the supplier's illegal actions, they are still continuing with their voluntary recall of the following products:

The 12oz. cans of dog foods being voluntarily recalled have the following bar codes which can be found on the back of the product label:

Evanger's: Hunk of Beef: 20109

Evanger's: Braised Beef: 20107

Against the Grain: Pulled Beef 80001

​Consumers may return any can of the above mentioned products to their place of purchase for a full refund for their inconvenience. For any questions, customers may call the company at 1-847-537-0102 between 10:00AM - 5:00PM Central Time, Monday through Friday

18 Jan 2016 3:00 PM |
Anonymous

Food fraud is defined as intentionally using deception for economic gain involving food. MSU has been helping governments, manufacturers and retailers that have been deceived. Recent examples include European stores unintentionally selling beef tainted with horse-meat, pet foods with melamine filler in lieu of whey protein -- a substitution that proved deadly for many pets -- and Chinese Wal-Marts mistakenly including fox meat in their offerings of donkey meat.

Donkey meat is standard fare in northern China. While this tainted-meat scandal may have happened in an isolated area, Wal-Mart felt the negative economic impact around the globe, said John Spink, director of MSU's Food Fraud Initiative, assistant professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine and co-author on the paper.

"It's legal for Wal-Mart and other stores to sell donkey meat in rural northern China, which is sold by many stores there," he said. "But when the news broke of this species swapping, the story went viral. Crises like these can have a catastrophic effect on companies, governments and consumer confidence."

Spink and Doug Moyer, MSU program in public health professor and co-author, provide an academic definition -- unbiased and peer-reviewed. The researchers' goal is not simply to define and detect food fraud, but also to adjust entire food supply chains to focus on prevention, Spink said.

"For governments to begin addressing the issue, they needed a credible source they could reference -- an academic source rather than a food association that could potentially have biased views," he said. "Already, we're collaborating with many other countries and serving as members on their food fraud teams. MSU is leading the world down the food fraud prevention path."

Getting involved in the issue at the earliest stage has established MSU as one of the key sources for government agencies and company leaders, Spink added. The next phase of this research will be to put these new laws and guidelines into practice.

Search "food fraud" on Google and MSU comes up as one of the top references. In the last month, representatives from Nigeria's and Saudi Arabia's departments of food and agriculture have met with Spink to establish guidelines to fight food fraud in those nations. Wal-Mart, looking to recover from its own scandal, helped sponsor a food fraud course, also led by MSU, translated into Mandarin, Spink said.

"We've built credibility, and government agencies and Fortune 500 companies are continuing to reach out to us for guidance," he said. "Our research isn't being shelved, either. It's reaching people, and it's already having a positive impact, one that we'll certainly build on in the coming years."

14 Mar 2015 9:12 AM |
Anonymous

When I first decided to get Sadie's TDI (Therapy Dog International) certification, my goal was to get into a READ program at a school. We accomplished that yesterday.

Though Sadie has not been around many kids at all she settled in nicely. One little girl said she was even afraid of dogs and ended up getting close enough to touch Sadie on her side. This was such a blessing for us. It's what giving back is all about!!

Sadie's guard instincts never stopped working as she would check out everyone who was passing by not part of our little group.

We are so looking forward to our next visit in two weeks. I have two pictures of Sadie at work listening to the kids read but will make sure it is ok to post them. I know Lisa Tremblay whom I co-bred Sadie with will be just as proud of her.

20 Feb 2015 12:58 PM |
Anonymous

Cascade Northwest Bullmastiff is pleased to share the following video of the Bullmastiff Breed Judging filmed at the prestigious 2015 Westminster Kennel Club Show at Madison Garden, New York, New York, USA FEB 2015.

08 Jan 2015 10:46 AM |
Anonymous

Cascade Northwest Bullmastiff Club began a new tradition in December of 2014 to honor participating Veterans. The overall feeling that "more should be done" to honor the veteran bullmastiff weighed heavily on some show commitee members. More than having their own classes in Sweeps. More than applauding them as they make their way around the ring, perhaps for their last hoorah. And so more was done and more will continue to be done to honor all veterans who participate in Cascade Northwest Events.

The "Rose's Of Our Breed" is the tradition of the Cascade Northwest Bullmastiff Club honoring Veteran's. The Veteran Bullmastiff, their owners, handlers, and breeders.

Their is much meaning behind the title "Roses Of Our Breed."

Many of these Veterans are the foundation stock of your breeding programs, maybe your first show dog, perhaps your first Bullmastiff, or simply the love of your life and the center of the family. The stalk of the rose.

Although you have all trained these Veterans and raised them up, they have taught you much. Many life lessons are learned living with these beautiful and though aloof at times highly intelligent creatures. The learning, love, loyalty, companionship, silliness and even frustration of everday day of their lives you share is represented by the deeply colored petals of the rose.

Of course as our veterans age and pass we are faced with making hard decisions and they are faced with all of the issues age brings. The thorns of the rose.

Thank you for sharing your Veteran with us. We honor you and the commitments you have honored in having a Veteran.

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